Monday, April 12, 2010

Q & A

Thanks for all the support! In response to a few questions posed to us in person or in articles written on various sites, there are a few things we’d like to answer and clear up.

Q: People write that you are Communists, Anarchists, Mudjaheds, Greens, now which is it?

A: None of the above, or rather, the group of individuals that came to the embassy didn’t come as a group. There were a few who call themselves anarchists, others were socialists, even a few who sympathize with the greens. However, that’s the personal politics that was left at home, and most of the people don’t identify with a simple “-ism” anyway. The action was not done under a “red”, “black” or “green” flag. What united the people, Iranians and non-Iranians, young and old, was the desire to show solidarity with Iranians, show the government that Iranians abroad are exiled but not silenced and the rest of the world is watching and hasn’t stopped caring.

Q: Did you use any violence or burn the flag as we have read in some of the articles?

A: None at all. The action was held on the ground of the Embassy. Or rather, Dutch soil that the Dutch government had lent to Iran. As we believe that the Iranian government has abused lied, cheated, killed and manipulated to rule its people, we also believe they have forfeited their right to use this soil. However, we didn’t enter the building of the Embassy, nor did we intend to. We didn’t come near embassy staff or their personal belongings. The only violence was the one directed to us by the embassy staff. If the police wasn't present to hold them back they would have attacked us.

A: The Putin-Medvedev government has been supportive of the Iranian government in the past. In our statement we made it clear that we didn’t liberate Embassy soil in support of American politics or interest, but we are also worried about the support that the Iranian government has received from Russia, China, Venezuela and other countries. We had hoped to have a translation of the statement in Spanish before the action. If you want to translate our statement to Chinese or Japanese (as Japan has initiated the procedures to deport an Iranian human rights activist: http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/ ), we would be glad for the help.

Q: Why does it take so long to update on the site, aren't you professional activists?

A: Well, we are committed to a more just world, but we have a life in which we work, spend time with loved ones and do other things that matter to us. One that was on hold for 4 days. Bit not to worry, we're with you!